The present invention relates to a reading aid apparatus, especially a copyholder for typewriters and similar office machines.
So-called copyholders are known in the prior art for aiding in the copying work of a typist who has to copy a manuscript or draft on the typewriter or for holding any other visual aid that may be needed by the typist. One group of such copyholders comprises a flat backing board supported by a tripod type holder and provided with a clamp or clip for securing a sheet of paper or manuscript to the backing board. An example of such a manuscript holder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 693,124 granted on Feb. 11, 1902.
The copy holding device of U.S. Pat. No. 693,124 is further equipped with a ruler secured to the edge of the backing board for sliding up and down along the backing board edge. In any event, the ruler marks the line to be copied.
It is further known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,042,373 that a copy or manuscript can be secured to a platen type roller similar to that in a typewriter. Such a platen type roller is rotatable relative to a ruler.
Another group of copyholders is disclosed in French Pat. No. 2,277,549 and German Pat. No. 2,640,445. In this type of copyholder the sheet or manuscript to be read or copied is held in a clamped down, slightly bent position so that it maintains a perpendicular or slightly slanted position relative to the line of view of an observer, especially the typist.
All known prior art copy holding devices must be located adjacent to or behind a typewriter, a data processing terminal or the like so that the spacing between the line to be copied and the eyes of the typist is rather large and/or the reading of a line requires a lateral movement of the head of the typist.